SiO Masers in the Star Forming Regions W51 IRS2 and Sgr B2 MD5

Abstract

The maser emission of the J = 1-0 lines of SiO in vibrationally excited states has been detected in two regions of massive star formation, W51 IRS2 and Sgr B2 MD5. The SiO masers apparently coincide with strong H2O masers in each source within the uncertainties of < 5″. Their velocity ranges fall within those of the nearest H2O masers (Figure 1). In W51 IRS2 the maser emission is observed only in the v = 2 state, and the upper limit of the v = 1 line (3σ) is 1/15th of the v = 2 line intensity. The v = 1 emission found in Sgr B2 MD5 is five times stronger than the marginally detected v = 2 emission (Figure 2). Their luminosities are comparable to those from the corresponding maser in Orion.